Things to do with drinking straws

Drinking strawsTHINKING WITH MATERIALS

Everyday drinking straws are an amazing material. Did you know that nature uses straw-like structures the same way we use common drinkng straw. It is the most economical way to create structures. If you look carefully, you will see drinking straws everywhere: bamboo, stems of wheat, honeycomb...

Drinking straws are made of polypropyl-ene plastic. They can be fused together to create permanent structures. Line the bottom of frying pan with aluminum foil. Heat the pan. Press a bunch of straws against heated foil and watch them melt. Cool down foil and straws under cold water. Separate the straws from foil.

Attach them together.

Make a conveyor belt with them.

Blow air or shoot things with it.

Punch holes in them.

Cut and thread yarn through them.

1000 &1 Straw Lampmade from 1,000 drinking straws and one soda pop bottle. Low heat florescent light.

Drinking straws Hollow and lightweight Strong if grouped together Easy to cut Has sharp edges Round and smooth

(photo of drinking straw)

Adult supervision is required.

Things to do with flat sticks

Flat sticksTHINKING WITH MATERIALS

Cut things with it.

Use them to control the light.

Brake them in half.

Flat sticks Easy to brake along the grain direction Easy to sharpen Absorbs color Slightly bendable

(photo of flat sticks)

What do you see when you look at a stack of wooden sticks? Designers and architects see a miniature lumberyard. Architects create houses in small SCALE to test how they will work. Wooden sticks are perfect logs to build a house. If your house works in this SCALE, there is a good chance that it will work in the real scale too.

Lamp shade “Coral”by David Trubridge

Make a clamp.

You can create different patterns with identical flat pieces. One way to do that is to make a hole at the same spot on every stick and attach them with fastener or even piece of yarn. To be structurally strong your creation should have cross beams as well as main structure.

Things to do with soda bottles

Soda bottlesTHINKING WITH MATERIALS

Soda bottles Stubborn and slippery It has flat areas Sharp edges Would float if filled with air

If you look at the bottom of clear or green soda bottles, you will see chasing arrows symbol and #1(PETE). This tells you the kind of plastic is used to make those bottles. These bottles are created using a process called blow molding. Imagine blowing up a plastic balloon inside a cookie jar and then removing the jar. After the beverage is consumed, the bottle can be reused or recycled.

Clean with it.

Protect things inside it from water or impact.

See through it.

Make containers.

Cut it with scissors.

Canoe made from soda bottles

Fabric for this Patagonia PCR Fleece jacket is made form recycled soda bottles

Diffuse light by frosting it with sand

paper.

Warning: cut plastic has sharp edges

(photo of soda bottle)

Since the bottle was designed to be air and water tight, it is ideal for making buoyant structures (float on the water).

Making noise with soda bottles

Scoop up the spilled liquids.

Dig soil or sand.

Keep your food cool.

Peel a carrot.

Cut bagels or other foods with it.

Make a spoon.

Any cupped shape can work as a sound amplifier. The shape of your ear makes the sound louder for you. A hollow closed shape like a bottom of the soda bottle can amplify sounds too.

Rattle paper clips in it.

Stuff bottle bottoms with plastic bags to create a muffling effect to protect you from all that noise.

plastic bag

wet paper

part of soda bottle

Things to do with soda bottles

Stretch a balloon over it to make deep low drum-like sound.

Things to do with soda bottles

Rinse a used soda bottle and peel off the label. Cut off the middle part of the bottle. Cut it into one-and-a-half inch strips. Use edge of scissors or any sharp object to scratch and decorate the concave side of each strip. Use permanent markers to decorate it on the same side. Roll strips into rolls with decorated surface on the inside and tie with wire ties (the kind used to tie grocery bags). Loosely wrap it with the foil wrap (used foil or used soda can will work, too). Place it inside a toaster oven preheated to 200 F. In ten minutes remove and let cool. Remove the tie (you can reuse it for the next roll). Check if the bead stays in the same shape. If it unravels, repeat the rolling and heating steps.

Creating jewelry beads from soda bottles Bottle label projects

Soda bottle labels are colorful and waterproof stuff that can be used for many designs. Cut it into circles and use as a flower accessory for headbands, bracelets or shoes. Cut a spiral strip from the straight part of the bottle and use it as a band.

Cut bottle sides into squares or circles, and use them as beads for jewelry. Try the same technique with colorful bottle labels.

Adult supervision is required.

Earrings

Things to do with plastic bags

Plastic bagsTHINKING WITH MATERIALS

Plastic bag Flat, smooth Waterproof Good barrier Soft

Plastic bags are made by blow molding plastic film. Imagine a huge balloon that is made into a bag. Plastic film creates a lot of waste in landfills. By reusing or not using bags at all we can help protect the environment.

The concept of “Fill it” furniture system is that you would buy an “empty shell” and fill it over the time with your own plastic bags. Eventually you could have a couch filled with bags that otherwise will be thrown away. Cut it into strips

and used as a rope.

Create waterproof cover from it.

Make a sail or parachute.

Carry things in it.

Fill things with it.

(photo of plastic bag)

Things to do with soda bottles

Adult supervision required.

Fused bags projects

Crochet summer sandals

Braided mat

The basket is made by traditional basket weaving technique. But, instead of straw, the strips were cut out of plastic bags.

Create new materials by fusing several plastic bags together. Experiment with fusing different color plastic bags, or “sandwich” other objects between plastic sheets. If you place structural objects inside your “sandwich” you could create larger objects like a canopy above. Try to fuse open mesh fabric to create super strong material or draw designs on pieces of paper and laminate them for memory sake. Also try working your objects around shapes like aluminum soda cans to create vases or containers.Always place smooth paper between your work object and hot iron and again one piece of paper on top your work surface.

Basket